Questions to ask when investing your hard earned cash.

ABOUT THE INVESTMENT

How does this product meet my needs?

How long will I have to leave my money invested?

What are the charges?

How much would my investment need to grow each year to cover the charges?

Can I withdraw some of the money?

If I cash in early, what penalty will I pay?

How much of my money is actually invested in the first five years?

How will I find out how my investment is performing?

What information will I get and how often?

Is there a guaranteed growth rate?

ABOUT RISK

What are the main risks with this investment?

Is my original investment guaranteed?

Is there any guaranteed growth on my investment?

ABOUT CHARGES FOR FINANCIAL ADVICE

Are there charges for your advice?

Are they one-off or yearly charges?

Do I have to pay fees if I don't take up your recommendation?

If I do not have to pay a fee, do you get commission for the products you sell?

Do you offer a choice of a fee-based service, a fee-based service with a refund of commission, or a commission-only service?

Source: SSIAs - Your Little Black Book by the financial regulator.